Delay for BSkyB takeover

A major delay has hit Rupert Murdoch’s takeover of BSkyB, with official approval unlikely for another two weeks, according to UK media reports.

“My understanding is that there will be a minimum two-week delay from now,” said Claire Enders, founder of Enders Analysis. “At every stage the level of detail required and the input from legal teams is far in excess of what everyone expected.”

Sources close to News Corp indicated it could even take longer.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt had been expected to give his decision at the end of April. The Department of Culture Media and Sport, which had previously insisted there was no delay, said: “It will happen in due course.”